Keyboard type wind musical instrument having removable mouthpiece securing removable air filter

ABSTRACT

A keyboard type wind musical instrument wherein an air flow through a mouthpiece vibrates reeds to produce tones upon key operation. A filter is interposed between a projection in the connecting tube of an instrument body and the mouthpiece which is removably inserted into the connecting tube to prevent intrusion of foreign materials other than air into the instrument body during performance. The projection may be in the mouthpiece, in which case the connecting tube is detachably inserted into the mouthpiece.

United States Patent [191 I p I [ll] 3,715,448 Feb. 6, 1973 221 Filedz 54] KEYBOARD TYPE WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING REMOVABLE MOUTHPIECE SECURING REMOVABLE AIR FILTER [75] Inventor: Masaji Itoh, l-lamamatsu, Japan [73] Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha, l-Iamamatsu-shi, Japan JulylZ, 19 71 I [21 Appl. No.; 161,640

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July I5, 1970 Japan ..45/61-503 [52] U.S.,CI ..84/375, 84/453 [51'] Int.Cl. ..Gl0d 11/00 :[58] Field of Search ..84/375, 377, 380, 398, 351,

[56] I, References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,145,608 15/1954 Lindermeier", ..84/375 3,029,554 4/1962 Mobley ..46/180 X 357,802 2/1887 White ..46/l81 3,075,317 l/1963 Craft ..46/l80 3,034,392 5/1962 Seiller et al ..84/351 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 252,226 10/1912 Gennany ..84/377 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney-R. D. Flynn et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A keyboard type wind musical instrument wherein an air flow through a mouthpiece vibrates reeds to produce tones'upon key operation. A filter is inter posed between a projection in the connecting tube of an instrument body and the mouthpiece which is removably inserted into the connecting tube to prevent intrusion of foreign materials other than air into the instrument body during performance. The projection may be in the mouthpiece, in which case the connecting tube is detachably inserted into the mouthpiece.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures KEYBOARD TYPE WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING REMOVABLE MOUTHPIECE SECURING REMOVABLE AIR FILTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a keyboard type wind musi- I cal instrument capable of preventing intrusion of foreign materials other than air into an instrument body during performance by use of a filter interposed between theinstrument body and a mouthpiece inserted detachably connected thereto.

In a keyboard type wind instrument, a tone is produced by, blowing air into an instrument body music teaching aid at school because it can be easily I performed by anyone.

When a player with the mouthpiece in his mouth blows air-into the instrument body, foreignmaterials other than air often intrude into the instrument body, thereby rusting metallic reeds and thus causing failure in producing tones. This instrument is sometimes played by children during or immediately after meal. As a result, foreign materials such as saliva, food particles, etc frequently intrude into the instrument body and thus rust the reeds or come directly between a reed'rnounting plate and the reeds. Consequently, a failure in producing tones sometimes .occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a keyboard type wind musical instrument comprising an instrument body having a'plurality of keys and-provided with a connecting tube at one end thereof, the

connecting tube having an inwardly extending projection therein, a mouthpiece detachably inserted into the connecting'tube of the instrument body for supply air flow into the instrument body to produce tones, and a filter interposed between a portion of the mouthpiece in the connecting tube and the connecting tube projection for preventing intrusion of foreign materials other than air into the instrument body. The projection may be in the mouthpiece, in which case the connecting tube is detachably inserted into the mouthpiece.

BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a keyboard type wind musical instrument;

,FIG. 2 is an exploded sectional view of the connection of a mouthpiece to an instrument body in accordance with this invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a perspective view and a side view, respectively, ofa filter shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 in accordance with another embodiment of this invention;

' FIGS. 5A and 5B show a perspective view and a side view, respectively, ofa filter shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a modification of the filter shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded sectional view of the connection of a mouthpiece to an instrument body in accordance with still another embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. I shows a well known mouthpiece operated wind musical instrument having a piano typekeyboard. In FIG. I, the reference numeral 1 indicates aninstrument body provided with a predeterminednumber of natural and sharp and flat keys 2 and 3 arranged side by side thereon. At one end of the instrument body 1 there is provided a connecting tube 4 into which a mouthpiece 5 is inserted. Although not shown, a reed mounting plate is disposed within the instrument body 1 on which reeds and valves corresponding to the natural and sharp and flat keys 2 and 3 are arranged. The

valve is opened when the corresponding key is depressed and is closed when the key is released. When the valve is opened upon key depression, the corresponding reed is caused to be vibrated by; the players breath from the mouthpiece to produce a tone.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there will be described an embodiment of this invention. An annular projection 6 is formed inside the connecting tube 4 at a predeter mined distance apart from its open end. The mouthpiece 5 has a stepped end portion 7 having a 'smaller outer diameter than the remainder which is detachably connected to the connecting tube 4. A filter 8 is interposedbetween the projection 6 of the connecting tube 4 and the stepped end portion7 of the mouthpiece 5. To this end, the distance between the open end and the projection 6 of the connecting tube 4 is selected to be substantially equal to the sum of the length of the stepped end portion 7 and the thickness of the filter 8.

The filter 8 is formed of a porous material such as cellular or foamed synthetic resin which provides good ventilation and is capable of preventing penetration of foreign materials such as saliva, food or dirt particles and other impurities other than air and may be formed into a disk shape as shown in FIGS. 3A and 38. By means of the filter 8 interposed between the instrument body 1 and the mouthpiece 5, the intrusion of the impurities into the instrument body 1 during performance can be prevented, thus protecting the instrument.

As an alternative of the filter of disc-like shape as shown'in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the filter may be formed into a shape having a peripheral portion 8A of substantially circular cross section, the thicker than the central portion 88 as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. To hold such filter firmly, a further stepped end portion 9 having a smaller diameter than that of the stepped end portion 7 may be formed at the tip thereof to fit in the peripheral portion 8A of the filter 8 as shown in FIG. 4. i

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 68, a filter having a thicker portion 8Csemicircular in cross section may also be used in the construction of the mouthpiece shown. in FIG. 4 instead of the type having a thicker portion 8A circular in cross section shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

As shown in FIG. 7 a filter 8 and an annular packing l0 overlapping each other may also be employed to secure fitting of the filter 8 and to improve airtightness between the mouthpiece 5 and the instrument body 1.

The above-mentioned embodiments relate to the type of keyboard type instrument wherein the mouthpiece 5 is inserted into the connecting tube 4. Al-

portion 8A being l. A prising: v 1

an instrumentbody having aplurality of keys and a t e rnatiyely,.the connecting tube 4-may be inserted into the mouthpiece S. in this case, the projection 6 is --formed'inside the mouthpiece 5.

.Whatisclaimedis: Y

keyboard type wind musical instrument com- .mouthpieceand said connecting tube for prevent- 'ing intrusionof foreign'materials other than air into said instrument body r 2. The-keyboard type wind musical instrument according-to claim wherein-said filter has a central por tion and a peripheral portionthicker than said'central 31 The keyboard rtypewind musical instrument acsaid filter is substantially circular in cross section.

4. The keyboard type wind musical instrument ac- 'portioniand-a stepped portion is formed in the inner one of said-"mouthpiece, and connecting tube to fit within saidperipheralrportion of said filter; said-filter being: interposed-between.saidfstepped portion and said I projection.

' cording-:to'claim2; wherein saidperipheral portion of said filter is substantially semicircular in cross section.

' 15. The'keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein apacking is provided to overlap said filter.

6. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said projection is inside of said connecting tube and said mouthpiece is detachably inserted into said connecting tube, said filter being interposed between said projection and an end portion of said mouthpiece.

7. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 6 wherein said projection is an annular projection.

8. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said projection is an annular projection.

,9. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 2 wherein said stepped portion is formed in said mouthpiece and said mouthpiece is detachably inserted into saidconnecting tube.

10. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim l'wherein said projection is spaced from the end-of the outer one of said mouthpiece and connecting tube and said filter is interposed between said projection and the end of the inner one of said mouthpieceandsaid connecting tube.

i t t i i 

1. A keyboard type wind musical instrument comprising: an instrument body having a plurality of keys and a connecting tube at one end; a mouthpiece detachably connected to said connecting tube of said instrument body for supplying air flow into said instrument body to produce tones; one of said connecting tube and mouthpiece being detachably inserted into the other; an inwardly extending projection inside of the outer oNe of said connecting tube and said mouthpiece; and a filter removably interposed between said projection and a portion of the inner one of said mouthpiece and said connecting tube for preventing intrusion of foreign materials other than air into said instrument body.
 1. A keyboard type wind musical instrument comprising: an instrument body having a plurality of keys and a connecting tube at one end; a mouthpiece detachably connected to said connecting tube of said instrument body for supplying air flow into said instrument body to produce tones; one of said connecting tube and mouthpiece being detachably inserted into the other; an inwardly extending projection inside of the outer oNe of said connecting tube and said mouthpiece; and a filter removably interposed between said projection and a portion of the inner one of said mouthpiece and said connecting tube for preventing intrusion of foreign materials other than air into said instrument body.
 2. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said filter has a central portion and a peripheral portion thicker than said central portion; and a stepped portion is formed in the inner one of said mouthpiece and connecting tube to fit within said peripheral portion of said filter, said filter being interposed between said stepped portion and said projection.
 3. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein said peripheral portion of said filter is substantially circular in cross section.
 4. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein said peripheral portion of said filter is substantially semicircular in cross section.
 5. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a packing is provided to overlap said filter.
 6. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said projection is inside of said connecting tube and said mouthpiece is detachably inserted into said connecting tube, said filter being interposed between said projection and an end portion of said mouthpiece.
 7. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 6 wherein said projection is an annular projection.
 8. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said projection is an annular projection.
 9. The keyboard type wind musical instrument according to claim 2 wherein said stepped portion is formed in said mouthpiece and said mouthpiece is detachably inserted into said connecting tube. 